Competition Info

Unlike a team sport, figure skaters can go to competitions on their own. The following dates are some of those options! If your family is going out of town this winter, or you have family you'd like to visit - do a quick google search and see if there's a figure skating competition nearby!

Your WFSC coaches are more than happy to attend competitions with you as long as their schedules permit. Their travel expenses and per diem can be split between all families attending the same competition.

The following calendar contains competitions in ND and western MT. The Magic City International in Minot, ND is our closest competition and one many members of the club will attend for sure. We also plan to attend the Big Sky State Games competition in Billings, MT as a club.

Club testing sessions are noted below *if* they're being held in conjunction with the competition. Many of the others have testing, but at a unrelated date so they're not included on this page. Check the "Testing Info" tab, or contact us for more info.

Competitions and Testing are wonderful opportunities for our USFS program skaters, but they're not a requirement.

There are two different types of competitions sanctioned by U.S. Figure Skating; qualifying and non-qualifying. Qualifying competitions “qualify” skaters to move from regional to sectional to national championships. Non-qualifying competitions do not have this stepping stone aspect, however, they lay the foundation for the discipline, sportsmanship and goal setting necessary in any competition. There are no Qualifying competitions in North Dakota.

Your coach will give you an application, help you decide which events to enter, help you with filling out the form and get the necessary signatures. You will be required to give basic information. Make sure to give your USFS number and be careful when filling out the birth date and test level (the highest level you have passed) as these are used to place you in your competition group. You will be competing against skaters of similar experience (skaters who have tested no further than you have). Generally you will skate in a group of no more than eight or nine skaters. If there are substantially more skaters in your level, the referee will break the groups into separate “flights” which will be judged separately and the flights are normally grouped according to age.

You should arrive at the rink dressed and ready at least an hour before your event. Events can run ahead or behind schedule. You will need to check in with the ice monitor at the rink entrance for each event. This lets them know you are in the building and intend to compete. You will need to hand in a copy of any music you are using for a program at the registration desk, and/or send it in early ahead of time. Each competition is slightly different. You and/or your coach will need to have a backup copy of your music also in case something goes wrong.

Each event will have a short (3-5 minutes) warm up period. Use the time to stroke and get your muscles warmed up. Sweaters and gloves, which are not worn during your program, may be worn during this warm up period. Leave the ice immediately when announced to do so. You and your club will be announced when it is your turn to compete. Enter the ice and go to your start position. If your skate becomes untied or the wrong music is being played you must skate directly over to the referee and let them know. They will decide on how you will proceed.

The results of an event may take some time to be posted. The results will show you your final position in the group and the ordinal or position each judge gave you. You will not receive any written comments from judges as you do in testing.

Flash photography is prohibited at competitions for the safety of the skater. Video taping is allowed. Skaters and families should be respectful and encouraging to all competitors. In the audience, refrain from entering, exiting or wandering in the bleacher area while skaters are performing. Cheering from the audience is encouraged!

Remember—we're here to have fun and put our best effort forward. Some days will go better than others, and some days will go great but the judge gives the top award to someone else instead. Help your skater find support and encouragement in what went well, even on the hard days. Encourage them to be there for their friends when they win and when they lose. Figure Skating may be an individual sport, but it's more fun with a community!